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Scripture: Psalm 22 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? 2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.[b] 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.[c] 4 In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. 10 From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. 11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. 15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce[e] my hands and my feet. 17 All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. 19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. 20 Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. 21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. 22 I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you. 23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! 24 For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. 25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you[f] I will fulfill my vows. 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him— may your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28 for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it! Today's Meditation: The Psalmist is lost in despair to the point where he is blaming God for forsaking him. To paint a picture of his horrible situation, he uses words and scenes that depict the suffering of our Savior. (vs. 15-18) Unknowingly, he has spoken God’s words of prophecy! Two things begin to draw the Psalmist out of his pity party. The first is remembering the faithfulness of God to his people. (vs.3-5 and 22-24) From this, he can begin to find praise. Secondly, he begins to see that God’s word will go out to all the ends of the earth and to all the generations to come. (vs.25-31) Prayer: Lord, help me to remember that you suffered so much more than I can even imagine. You understand my every situation. I can praise you even in my hard times by remembering your faithfulness in the past, your unchanging presence now, and your commitment to spread your word to all future generations. Amen. Nancy Lamar

Scripture: Psalm 27 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked advance against me to devour[a] me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. 3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. 4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. 5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. 7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. 8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. 10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. 11 Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. 13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Today's Meditation: Where shall I find confidence? Who can I trust? This is the question David is asking in this Psalm. He sees confidence begins with fellowship with the Lord—in his dwelling place and in nature. He earnestly desires to see the face of God. But then he starts to question and tell God what to do. He is honest with God about his fears and pleads for God’s protection and help. This heartfelt communication with God leads him to the point where he can say, “I am confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (vs.13) He understands, however, that we may need to wait for this revelation! God is not offended by our open conversation and confession of fears. Nor does he condemn us when we tell him what to do! Prayer: Father God, I do long to see your face. Do teach me and lead me and protect me. Bring me to the place where I can say with David, “I would have lost heart if I had not believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” * Amen. Nancy Lamar *New King James Version

Scripture: Mark 1: 29-45 29  As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.  30  Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her.  31  So he went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32  That evening after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.  33  The whole town gathered at the door,  34  and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35  Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  36  Simon and his companions went to look for him,  37  and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” 38  Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”  39  So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. 40  A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41  Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”  42 Immediately, the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43  Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:  44  “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing as a testimony to them.”  45  Instead, he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. Today's Meditation: Mark writes in his Gospel that when Jesus sees Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, Jesus helped her up, or as some translations have rendered, Jesus lifted her up. Scholar Karoline Lewis said it best when she said: “What if resurrection is being raised up to be who you always were and were always meant to be? That it won’t be [big houses, driving several cars or bathrooms you can play baseball in…but the radical, emotional, incredible feeling of being you. That being raised up is not just some sort of spiritual future but your present reality, here and now, to live you. Your mind, spirit, body, everything together, everything that you were always meant to be. The story of Simon’s mother-in-law tells us that God does not call us to be something we are not but is in the business of restoring us to who we really are.” Being restored. Being lifted up. Being whole again. Being who we really are. This is the singular lesson that we can embrace and take away from the Gospel of Mark 1: 29-45. Prayer: Loving God, continue to heal us and restore us to our whole selves so that we may live into the person you have created us to be. Amen. Jesse G. Mabanglo

Scripture: Mark 11:16-20 (NRSV) As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee, and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. Today's Meditation: Listening to some of the voices we hear within the Christian church today, you might think that Jesus taught the disciples how to properly “net” unbelievers, pulling them in and convincing them to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior in order to avoid the frying pan of hell. Yet there is nowhere in the scriptures that we find Jesus and/or the disciples deploying that message and imagery, nor anything like it. Jesus wasn’t about converting people to a different religion based on himself. Jesus was about converting people to a different way of life (a different way of living in THIS world) based on his understanding of Judaism. His call was, and is, a call to a life of love, faithfulness, forgiveness, and justice. Think about this call to follow Jesus you just read from Mark’s Gospel (similar accounts are found in the Gospels of Matthew, and Luke). Jesus uses the imagery of “fishing for people” because he was talking to fisherfolk. But if Peter and Andrew had been mechanics, Jesus might have called them to learn how to fix the unjust systems of their day. If they had been physicians, he would have invited them to learn how to heal the world with His grace and forgiveness. If they were carpenters, he would have called them to discover how to be faithful builders of His kin-dom. In the same way, Jesus isn’t calling us to become something completely different, unless our current occupation does harm to others. Instead, we are invited to become more of our authentic selves, more of who the Creator created us to be. The change, the transformation, is the shift from living and working for ourselves alone and learning to live and work for Jesus in ways that benefit all people, all creation. Lent is often seen as a time to give up something. Something that is harming ourselves or others, hurting our relationships with people and/or God. But it can also be seen as a time to add something to our lives, to learn something new that moves us closer to a life of love, faithfulness, forgiveness, and justice – Kin-dom living. What might you do this Lenten Season to live a different way, using the gifts God has already given you, to show others (not simply tell others about) the love and the grace that has been poured into you by your Savior, Jesus? What new ways might Jesus be inviting you to learn, for your own good, for the good of all creation? Prayer: Catch me, Jesus, and transform me into who You created me to be, in this world and for this world. - Amen Mark Gregory

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-19 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving 4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. A Church Divided Over Leaders 10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas[b]”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c] Today's Meditation: Paul has had an extensive history of contact with the city of Corinth, beginning when he established the church in Corinth. Paul received reports of disturbances in the church. Paul’s letter was in response to these reports. Paul makes it clear “I am an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God”, not the will of any man. Paul, like us, is thankful for the grace God has given us by Jesus. We have been enriched by Him in all utterance and in knowledge. Paul’s plea to the Church in Corinth is true today; asking that we not allow our differences to create divisions that are going to distract us from the ministries of the church that we are called to fulfill. We are all baptized to the same triune God. It is the will of God that we are unified in the message of the cross. Prayer: Father God, We are thankful for the many graces that we have been blessed with. Guide us to unity that allows us to fulfill the needs of your church. Continue to lead us back to the cross. Amen. Gary Schritter

Scripture: Psalm 150 1   Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! 2   Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness! 3   Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! 4   Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! 5   Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 6   Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Today's Meditation: This Psalm could be a song, a poem, or a poem set to a song. Regardless, we are to praise God wherever He is, in His Sanctuary, in His creation, and as His Spirit within our hearts, thanking Him for what He has done and how great He is. We are to do this with all that we have: With our voice, instruments, dance, the labors of our hands, and with the bounty he has given us. For as long as we breathe, we are to praise the Lord. Prayer: Lord, may we praise you in every facet of our lives, with all that we have, for as long as we live. Then may we continue that praise in your presence in Heaven. Bob Burk

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-20 God's Provision 10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. 14 Yet it was kind of you to share[a] my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.[b] 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Today's Meditation: In the late ’60s, struggling to be a good wife and mother but often discontented and envious of others, God spoke to me through a popular phrase printed on coffee cups, T-shirts, and cute wall plaques: “Bloom Where You’re Planted.” I had it on the window sill over my kitchen sink, and it reminded me that even though I often thought I should be somewhere else. I was where God wanted me to be. I think of that simple phrase whenever I read Philippians 4. Paul had lived through unbelievable circumstances, hardships, dangers, and amazing encounters with new Jesus followers. He says he learned to be content wherever he was, and he was writing a letter in a Philippian prison! What an inspiring challenge to a struggling church and also to a tired mom listening to two crying babies, an aging widow who feels useless and alone, or a janitor doing the same job every day. Paul tells us the secret to his contentment and to ours. It is finding strength in Jesus and giving ourselves away as a fragrant offering to others. The Philippian church had looked beyond their circumstances to the needs of others, gave sacrificially, and discovered that as they gave, they received all the riches of knowing Jesus Christ. Prayer: Faithful Father, thank you for placing me in this place and assuring me that you have a purpose and a plan for my life. May I bloom where you have planted me. Fill me with contentment and peace as I embrace this day. Open my eyes to see how I can share your words of hope and love to everyone I meet. Amen Jeanne Motley

Scripture: John 17:9-19 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.  10  All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.  11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.  12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.  14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. [a]  16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  17 Sanctify them [b] in the truth; your word is truth.  18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, [c] that they also may be sanctified [d] in truth. Today's Meditation: In today’s reading, we hear Jesus praying. Although it is shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus takes time to pray not only for himself but for his disciples and those who would later hear His message, including you and me. In the reading, we can also feel the closeness as Jesus speaks to God. Through Jesus, we also get to experience the opportunity for a deep and personal relationship with God. During this Lenten season, let us be mindful that God is never far away, and Jesus’ love and concern for you is always present. Remember, he prayed for you. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of a relationship with you, made possible through your Son, Jesus Christ. May we be comforted, guided, and strengthened by that love, and let us always be thankful, Amen. Courtney Jones

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-21 12 Not that I have already obtained all this or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Following Paul's Example 15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained. 17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again, even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their God is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Today's Meditation: Paul shares with us his life-rule when he says that Christ is his priority today and all days. Two phrases are particularly striking: "I press on" in verses 12 and 14 and "Forgetting what is behind" in verse 13. With the "I press on," he tells us that he is really living in to the current day that God has given him and concentrating on the task at hand. With "Forgetting what is behind," he is stressing that he is not living in the past no matter how bad it has been or how many things he might regret about it. A Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, once made this remarkable statement – "If you are oppressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present." Prayer: Lord, please help me to live fully in to this day that you have given me. Help me to see that all those disturbing memories from my past are under your grace and that the future is under your control. Amen Howard Davidson

Scripture: Psalm 51: 1-12 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. Today’s Meditation: The Psalmist (David) in this passage desires to reconnect with God after falling into sin and asks God for mercy. He had engaged in an adulterous affair with Bathsheba and had arranged for the murder of her husband to try to hide it. Remembering and drawing from what is known about God, e.g., God’s steadfast love God’s abundant mercy, David knows that God is supremely interested in a person’s heart (inward being) and not in the outward behaviors of pseudo-spirituality. Hence, the psalmist says to God, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me [emphasis mine]. May this wish to have a new and right spirit be our approach as we enter the Lenten Season. Prayer: Loving God, may you daily restore in me the joy of your salvation and sustain in me a willing spirit. Amen. Jesse G. Mabanglo

Lent is a season in the Christian calendar when each of us is encouraged to take an intentional journey—a journey of reflection and self-examination. It is a time to assess our relationship with the Lord and to ponder how that relationship plays out in our daily lives and work. We begin Lent on Wednesday, February 14, Ash Wednesday. This year, we are offering a “self-published” Lenten Devotional for your use for the forty days of Lent plus the seven Sundays, including Easter Sunday. Each of the daily devotionals are written by our members and friends of our congregation, including members of Session and our Deacon Board. As you read daily through each of the devotions, you will be encouraged and enriched by the thoughts and reflections from our church family. I hope and pray that in reading these reflections from the hearts of our own members, you will resonate, connect, and feel unified in our journey of faith together in Jesus Christ. Make a conscious endeavor to deepen your faith this Lenten season. Join us in that journey. The Lenten Daily Devotions can be accessed through our First Pres Blog. Warmly in Christ, Pastor Jesse

Many Americans approach the New Year by making New Year’s resolutions. When Americans are asked what they are wanting to commit or change in the new year, their responses seem to revolve around these five resolutions: 1. Enjoy life to the fullest 2. Live a healthier lifestyle 3. Lose weight 4. Spend more time with family and friends 5. Save more, spend less For many, the New Year is a time to reflect and think about what the past year has brought and what the New Year could bring. It is a time to stop and analyze, to take stock of our priorities, values, pursuits, and goals. We need to ask questions like, “Who am I, and what am I doing with my life?” As Christ-followers we can qualify that even more by asking, “What should I be doing as a Christian with my life and the resources and gifts that God has given me?” After all, according to the Bible, all of life is stewardship—a stewardship of our time, talents, and treasures. In other words, since God’s plan and our stewardship revolve around and through the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, we need to each ask, “How well am I responding to the Savior and the spiritual life that Jesus has given me?” As you take a look back to dream about the way forward, let me offer two things to think about. First, be thankful for all of God’s blessings this past year. Be especially mindful of all the simple, ordinary and everyday things that often get overlooked. Secondly, commit to one or two service or giving action items. Gratitude is best expressed by response. So find a creative way to give back. So, as we live into 2024, I leave you with words by Christian artist Sarah Groves from her song entitled, “How Is It Between Us.” When I wake up I am on my way, Reinventing the wheel and saving the day. I have learned this lesson a thousand times, I am the branch, and you are the vine. Apart from you we are mice and men, With our fancy dreams of grandeur and no way to get there. Oh I can think about you now and then, Or I can make a mark on eternity. Lord first of all, how is it, between you and me? God’s Peace and Joy, Jesse